Adjustable wrenches



April 18, 1961 H. BACI-n.1 ETAL 2,979,977

ADJUSTABLE wRENcHEs Filed Jan. 12, 1959 AnrusrALE wRENcnEs Herman Bachliand Harry S. Shapiro, Chicago,lll.,as

signers to Chicago Specialty Manufacturing Co., Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 12, 1959, ser, Nq, 136,2ss' 4 claims.(clim-'129) This invention relates to improvements in a slidable sidejaw wrench. v,

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an adjustable wrenchwith locking means which will positively lock the adjustable jaw memberin its adjusted position so that the same will not spread or move withrespect to the stationary jaw member during use.

It has been found that one of the principal objections to the prior artadjustable wrenches is that the movable jaw would not stay in its lockedposition when the wrench was applied to an object in wrenching positionbut that the movable jaw would spread or move in relation to thestationary jaw thus loosening its grip on the object and necessitatingfrequent retightening of the locking member on the wrench during asingle operation. The foregoing objections have all been eliminated withthe present invention.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a locking meanswhich includes a member having a general convex shaped inner surfacewhich .extends partially into the slot of the movable jaw member andpartially out of the slot and which engages the upper and lower surfacesadjacent theslot along two spaced parallel straight lines. Thisarrangement provides an effective locking means so that once the lockingmeans is in locked position it will be maintained in locked positionirrespective of the force or pressure that might-be applied in the useof the wrench on an object.

eOther objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the wrench.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view showing the movable jaw secured inits closest adjusted position relative to the stationary jaw.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on lines 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing the locking means, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional viewfof a portion of the wrenchshowing a modified form of locking means.

The wrench shown in Figures l to 5 inclusive includes an elongatedwrench handle generally indicated at 10 which diverges outwardly at thetop to form an intermediate section generally indicated at 12 from whichupwardly extends the stationary jaw generally indicated at 14. Thehandle 10, intermediate section 12 and the stationary jaw are integrallyforged or cast of malleable iron or the like.

The intermediate section 12, as best Shown in Figure 4, is recessed asat 16 to provide a lower shoulder 18 and an upper shoulder 20. The lowershoulder 18 extends transversely of the handle 10 and extends the fulllength of the intermed'ate section 12. The upper shoulder 20 is parallelto the lower shoulder 18 and extends below the stationary jaw 14. Theadjustable or slid- United States Patent 2,979,977 PatentedApr. y18,1961- lCe ' 16 and between the'shoulders 18 and 20. The lateralextension 24 is provided with a longitudinal slot 28 which has parallelextending tlat upper and lower wall surfaces 29 and 30 respectively.

The intermediate section 12 of the stationary jaw v member is providedwith an opening 31 in alinement with slot 28. i f

The locking means for securing the' adjustable jaw 22 in a 'lockedadjusted position comprises a rotatable element generally indicated at32 and a convex shaped member generally indicated at 34.

The rotatable element 32 has a threaded shank 33 which extends throughthe opening 31 and through slot 28 of the movable jaw member 26. Therotatable element 32 has an enlarged head 36 from which extends a lever38 having a attened and roughened finger gripf ping portion 40. The head36 rests against the front of the intermediate section 12.

Engaging the opposite or free end of the threaded shank is the convexshaped member 34' which is best shown in Figures 4 and 5. The member 34has an outside facing flat surface 42 and a convex shaped inner surface44. Member 34 has a threaded open'ng 46 which engages the threaded shankY33. Member 34 is substantially rectangular in plan View and the opening46 is positioned closer to onevside, i.e. the right side, as viewed inFigure 5 so as to permit the adjustable jaw 22 to be moved and locked inthe widest separated position with respect to the stationary jaw 14. i

The convex shaped surface 44 ofthe member 34 is extremely important andforms an essential feature of this invention. With this shape a portionof the convex surface extends inwardly into the slot 28 so that it isinwardly of the outer vertical surface of the lateral extension 24 ofthe movable jaw and a portion of the convex surface extends outwardlybeyond and rearwardly of theslot 28. That is, the upper portion of theconvex surface 44 extends upwardly and outwardly or rearwardly of theslot 28 and the lower portion of the convex surface extends downwardlyand outwardly or rearwardly of the slot 28. When the rotatable element32 is tightened with respect to the convex shaped member 34, member 34will be positioned as best shown in Figure 5 so that the convex surface44 of member 34 engages the outer edges of the upper and lower wallsurfaces 29 and 30 of slot 28. The engagement is eifected along twoparallel straight lines.

The locking arrangement just described is effective in positivelylocking the movable jaw 22 with respect to the stationary jaw 14. Thiswill prevent spreading or movement of the movable jaw uu'th respect tothe stationary jaw while the same is engaging an object to which it isapplied when in use. v

In prior art constructions using conventional nuts or locking means ithas been found that when in use the movable jaw will have a tendency tomove or spread with respect to the stationary jaw due to the ineffectivelocking of the nut or locking means, hence the same has to be repeatedlytightened during use. With the applicants convex-shaped inner surface ofmember 34 and the manner in which it engages the upper and lower outeredges of the slot 28 this is positively eliminated andthe movable jaw islocked in an immovable position while in use.

The movable jaw member 26 may be readily adjusted relative totheistation'a'ry ja'wfmember. -By"iiiovirig` theV lever 38 in a slightlycounterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, the c onvex shapedmember 34 is loosened sufficiently on theshank 31 to permit themovableIjaW-22 `to"be":p=ositioned5 in its desir'edadjustedrpositionlan'd A:the'n'by`movir`ig the"1ever"3'8 in 'a'slightly clockwise`direction (Figure l) 4the"menibe'rf34'is'tightiedfas previously"described, 'to 'positivelyflock thexmovable `jaw with'resp'ect tothestationary jaw. y l

Figure l6shows a modification. In this" modification the intermediaterecessed "section 12" of the vstationary jaw 14"isprovidedwithfargroove'52extending across the intermediate 'section'Vjust Aabove the "lowershoulder 18'. 'provided with a`rib-54whichjengages thejgroove'SZ 'to move therewithin. =This modifiedconstruction pro vides additional support between the movable ja'wf'andthe stationary jaw. In al1"otherrr`espects'tlie'construction is 'aspreviously describedandit iscotnecessary *toY re'deseribe the' same. y

It will be understoodthat various 7changes'andmodications 'maybe ma'de"in the foregoingwithout departJ ing from the spirit'andk scope'of theappended claims.

We claim:

1. A slidable side jaw wren'chcomprising `a stationary ja'w member andamovable jawA membei-,said movable jawI member' having a continuouss'lotat aright angle to said movable jaw member, said statior'xaryV jaw mem-'ber' supporting "a threaded-'member "extending intosaid slot, anon-rotatable locking' member supportedon Said threadedmember, saidlocking memberhaving'a convex shaped inner surface aligned"'withs`aidslot' and adapted "when in jlockingposition to engage' said movableljaw'r'neriiber"adiacent'said' slot and 'tof'extendpartially*A into'saidslot and partially'out of said slot.

2. A slidable side ja'w wrench comprising'a stationary Yjaw'member andal movable jaw member, said movable `jaw"member" having ka continuousslot'at va' rightfangle to said movable jawy member, vlocking means'for" secur- 'ing fsaid` movable jaw'member in vits adjusted position,Saidlocking means comprising'a rotatable threaded Velement and 'anon-rotatabler member Yhaving alc'onvex The lateral extension 24"of 'themovable'jawfis "shaped innerv surfacealigned' with said slot,fsaidthreaded rotatable element being supported on said stationary jaw memberand extending into said slot, said convex shaped member being secured tothe free end of said rotatable threaded element and extending into saidslot to engage the outer edges of the wall surfaces adjacent said slotto lock said movable-jaw-member against movement with respect 'tosaidstationary jaw member.

3. A slidablesidefiavv"wrench-comprising a stationary jaw vinernberhaving a handle and an intermediate recessed portion,"anfiovbleaw memberhaving a lateral extension slidable coniine'din -saidintermediaterecessed portion, said lateral extension having a continuous slot at arightangle toisaid 'stationaryfjawylocking means for securingsaid"movable law member in its adjusted position, said hlocking meanscomprising a rotatable threaded element and a non-rotatable memberhaving a convex shapedinner surface aligned with said slot, saidthreaded element fbeirg I:s'u'pp'rted on said intermediate recessedportion and extending into said slot,"said conA vex shaped member-beingsecured to the vfreeend of said vrotatable threadedel'rrientjandextending into said slot 'to' engagethe outeredges'ofthe-wall surfacesadjacent said slot t'o'lock 'said movable jawmemberl against movementwith 'resp'eebtdsaid stationary jaw member.

"4. In"the"structure :defined inA claim 3 inwhich said Aintermediaterec'essedportion hasl a groove and said mov- 'ablel ja'w member has-`aribiengaging said groove.

